HP has long vowed that it would revive its smartphone efforts, and it may be near that comeback -- just not with the fanfare that some were hoping for. The Informationclaims that the company is weeks away from releasing a slew of phone-capable 6- and 7-inch Android tablets that would target developing markets, like China and India. They wouldn't cost more than $250 off-contract, and they would reportedly be recycled designs from manufacturers like Pegatron and Quanta. While HP isn't commenting on the rumor, it's safe to say that major smartphone makers wouldn't be losing sleep over the potential launch. The tipsters suggest that HP would instead be testing the waters -- it would enter fast-growing mobile markets while it works on original hardware, corporate apps and carrier deals that would be necessary in more established areas.

Earlier today AMD's director of global business units marketing, John Taylor, joined us on our CES stage to talk chips. Specifically, tablet chips, and laptop chips, and chips for products that have elements of both. While he was up there, Mr. Taylor flashed a reference device -- a laptop hybrid with the keyboard and touchpad built into the carrying case. Obviously, we weren't satisfied with just a quick tease, so we caught up with him afterward to learn a bit more. As it turns out, it runs a quad-core version of AMD's new Temash chip, which is being billed as the first quad-core, x86-based SoC. (There's also a dual-core version.) Built into the chip is an HD Radeon 8000 series GPU with AMD's Graphics Core Next architecture, so in theory you should be able to pull off PC-caliber gaming even on a tablet.

All told, it promises 50 percent more performance than AMD's Hondo processor, which you can find in Vizio's new Windows 8 tablet. Of course, those are just marketing claims, and besides we haven't had a chance to benchmark either a Hondo or a Temash system yet. So, to put that in better context, it might be helpful to hear AMD talk about its competitors. Obviously, Intel is a biggie, but in particular AMD says Temash should be able to compete with Clover Trail tablet chips, going all the way up to Core i3 on laptops. We're told Temash will ship sometime in the first half of this year, and that AMD will be revealing more details about the platform at Mobile World Congress, which kicks off in late February. Until then, we've got hands-on photos of the unit below, along with some performance impressions after the break.Gallery-175778

Most tours of Chinese factories at least give workers a heads-up that they'll be on camera. Not so the exposé that HP inadvertently gave one of its Swedish customers. Reddit user Malplace opened a new laptop to find that a 3-minute webcam video of the factory floor at HP's contractor, Quanta, was sitting in Windows' My Documents folder. If you're looking for scandal from the footage, though, you won't find it here: Chongqing Manufacturing City's staff are shown dutifully moving the assembly line along in what looks like fair conditions, if exceptionally repetitive. The instance is most likely just a rare gaffe during testing at a manufacturer that pumps out millions of HP PCs every quarter, so we'll cut Quanta some slack. It's still a rare glimpse into a side of technology that's considered off-limits for much of the buying public.

Rumors and scuttlebutt are already afoot: Amazon is ramping up to release a Kindle Fire successor later this year. It certainly seems reasonable enough; come November the original $200 slate will be a year old, outpaced by the young Nexus 7. According to AllThingsD, however, Amazon aims to keep things fresh -- updating the tablet with a thinner profile, a 1,280 x 800 resolution display and a built-in camera. According to sources "familiar with Amazon's plans," the tablet is slated for a late Q3 launch, agreeing with its previously rumored July / August debut. The finer details -- like the unit's price and internal specs -- are still MIA, but we'll let you know if the rumor mill churns out anything new.

We knew that there would be another Kindle Fire at some point, but we didn't know when it would arrive, or exactly what it'd look like. If the latest report from the China Times is true, however, we can expect Amazon's new slate to ship around August 7th. Like the first Fire, this new version will be built by Quanta, with a metal chassis and displays provided by LG and Panasonic. Other details, like its size or the contents within said metallic frame, are still nowhere to be found. What we can tell you is that the new tablet can't get here fast enough for Amazon given the Fire's declining sales numbers and its fresh competition from Mountain View.

Update: Looks like something was lost in translation -- it turns out the China Times report actually states that the new Kindle Fire is set to make its appearance in July or August, not specifically on August 7th.

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Wed, 04 Jul 2012 18:06:00 -040021|20271748http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/17/amazons-second-gen-possibly-larger-kindle-fire-to-set-off-at-e/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/17/amazons-second-gen-possibly-larger-kindle-fire-to-set-off-at-e/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/17/amazons-second-gen-possibly-larger-kindle-fire-to-set-off-at-e/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23commentsStill anticipating the Kindle Fire's successor? Well, here's some gossip from the Far East for you Bezos fans. According to the well-connected China Times of Taiwan, it's been informed by parts suppliers that Amazon's next tablet does not yet have a finalized specification, though it hinted that a 10-inch OEM device from Foxconn could be a potential candidate. Amazon's chain of manufacturers -- including Quanta, ACES, Prime View, Singatron, CviLux and the newly added Foxconn -- is allegedly scheduled to supply sample parts in March, followed by mass production (assembled by Quanta and Foxconn, naturally) in May or June before releasing to market by the end of Q2.

Additionally, China Times understands that as an attempt to further reduce manufacturing costs, Amazon will also be personally picking and approving parts; as opposed to the olden days where Quanta took full care of the first Kindle Fire. This is surely a bad sign for Quanta in the short run, but hey, cheaper tablets sell well. The real question is: do people actually want a larger Kindle Fire? We're a tad skeptical at this point.

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Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:03:00 -050021|20174155http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/04/quanta-sues-amd-sold-defective-products-nec/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/04/quanta-sues-amd-sold-defective-products-nec/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/04/quanta-sues-amd-sold-defective-products-nec/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23commentsYikes. Quanta -- also known as the planet's largest contract maker of laptops -- has just slapped a nasty lawsuit on the world's second-largest chipmaker. According to Bloomberg, Quanta is alleging that AMD and ATI sold chips that "didn't meet heat tolerances and were unfit for particular purposes." Those chips were then used in NEC-labeled machines, and caused them to "malfunction" in some regard. No big deal? Hardly. In the complaint, Quanta states that it has "suffered significant injury to prospective revenue and profits," and it's seeking a jury trial and damages for good measure.

As if that weren't harsh enough, the suit also claims "breach of warranty, negligent misrepresentation, civil fraud and interference with a contract." When pinged for comment, AMD's spokesman, Michael Silverman stated: "AMD disputes the allegations in Quanta's complaint and believes they are without merit. AMD is aware of no other customer reports of the alleged issues with the AMD chip that Quanta used, which AMD no longer sells. "In fact, Quanta has itself acknowledged to AMD that it used the identical chip in large volumes in a different computer platform that it manufactured for NEC without such issues." Somewhere, Intel has to be smirking.

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Wed, 04 Jan 2012 12:41:00 -050021|20140293http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/29/lenovo-lepad-s2005-vs-dell-streak-5-cuddle/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/29/lenovo-lepad-s2005-vs-dell-streak-5-cuddle/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/29/lenovo-lepad-s2005-vs-dell-streak-5-cuddle/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23comments
It's inevitable that these two 5-inch tabletphones -- the Dell Streak 5 on the left and the Lenovo LePad S2005 on the right -- are to meet in the Chinese capital. With the exception of the slightly taller body on the S2005 everything else are suspiciously similar, especially the button and camera layout. Well, there's a good explanation for this: we've been informed that this new tabletphone hails from the same ODM, Qisda, as Dell's counterpart. Too bad Lenovo decided to keep the same screen resolution though.

According to Stone Ip from Engadget Chinese, he found that the S2005 has a nicer grip than the Streak, and he also digs its more masculine appearance -- obviously this is open to debate. Performance-wise this slate responded well to our input, but the lack of promise on an Ice Cream Sandwich update will probably make potential geeky buyers think twice. Well, good thing we have some awesome modders around the interwebs these days.
Gallery-140564

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Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:38:00 -050021|20117141http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/13/microsoft-and-quanta-ink-patent-licensing-agreement-android-con/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/13/microsoft-and-quanta-ink-patent-licensing-agreement-android-con/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/13/microsoft-and-quanta-ink-patent-licensing-agreement-android-con/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23comments
Microsoft's crossed yet another name off its patentlicensinghit list, and this time the big red target lands squarely on Quanta. Under the undisclosed terms of the agreement, Android and Chrome-based devices manufactured by the Taiwanese OEM will be protected by Redmond's vast patent portfolio. Of course, this means MS'll receive royalties for granting access to its treasure trove of related IPs -- of which it has no dearth of at the moment. In other news, Google continues to hope it's all just a case of "opposite day." Official PR in all its vagueness after the break.

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Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:16:00 -040021|20081039http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/28/is-a-10-inch-kindle-fire-coming-amazon-says-stay-tuned/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/28/is-a-10-inch-kindle-fire-coming-amazon-says-stay-tuned/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/28/is-a-10-inch-kindle-fire-coming-amazon-says-stay-tuned/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23comments
We already knew to expect a 7-incher today, and that's exactly what we got in the Kindle Fire. We just asked Amazon Kindle vice president (and thinking man) Russ Grandinetti when we might expect a larger successor. With a smile, Russ said "Stay tuned," and left it at that. If you'll recall, RIM's Ryan Biden told us at a past Engadget Show that there was "no reason" the 7-inch BlackBerry PlayBook couldn't be shipped in a different size, and given recent rumors that both outfits were working with Quanta, it's not too tough to read betwixt the lines. We also asked about an international release of the Fire, knowing that many of you are lamenting its US-only release in November. We got the same response there. So, it's coming... the only question is when.

Okay, so we don't know that we'll be seeing a tablet (or two) today, but that's what we're expecting, and regardless we're eager to see what the company has in store for us. We're getting settled in at Stage 37 here in New York City (a place we're very familiar with) and the event begins soon. Join us as we find out what's next.

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Wed, 28 Sep 2011 09:55:00 -040021|20065902http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/13/haiers-haipad-ships-in-august-to-become-the-preferred-tablet-o/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/13/haiers-haipad-ships-in-august-to-become-the-preferred-tablet-o/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/13/haiers-haipad-ships-in-august-to-become-the-preferred-tablet-o/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23comments
We thought Haier's HaiPad looked oddly familiar, and a quick trip down memory lane suggests we aren't (completely) bonkers: it's a rebranded Quanta we spied at CES. The 7-inch slate now sports a custom Froyo skin from DianXin, an 800MHz processor, 802.11 b/g WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, and a WCDMA radio. We're told that last antenna provides the slate with phone and texting capabilities just like some versions of another 7-incher we know. Also present are "dual-cameras" (which we assume means one on each plane), availability in five "stylish" hues, and a vague August ship date. With less than a month to scrounge up 3,299 RMB (about $500) and train to fight off thousands of felines, you had better get cracking.

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Wed, 13 Jul 2011 08:34:00 -040021|19989558http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/11/apple-may-be-looking-to-add-another-ipad-manufacturer/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/11/apple-may-be-looking-to-add-another-ipad-manufacturer/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/11/apple-may-be-looking-to-add-another-ipad-manufacturer/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23comments
We've heard that the next iteration of the iPad will be thinner, have a Retina Display, and will bring peace to the Middle East. Here's a rumor that's a little more mundane, and much more likely to be accurate though -- Apple may be adding another manufacturer, alongside Foxconn, to produce its tablet. According to a DigiTimes source the explosion at the company's Chengdu plant in May has created some serious supply issues. Additionally, tablet sales are expected to grow even higher this year, according to the IDC, and the Cupertino Crew already has trouble keeping up with demand. It seems there's little choice but to bring on board the likes of Quanta Computers or Pegatron Technology, the two front runners for the orders.

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Mon, 11 Jul 2011 16:11:00 -040021|19988065http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/22/amazon-tablet-with-ti-processor-shipping-as-early-as-august/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/22/amazon-tablet-with-ti-processor-shipping-as-early-as-august/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/22/amazon-tablet-with-ti-processor-shipping-as-early-as-august/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23commentsFor months now, DigiTimes has been fueling rumors of Amazon's first foray into the LCD tablet market. Today it ratchets up the specificity with sometimes contradictory claims that Quanta Computer will be responsible for assembling the tablet with a supposed TI (not NVIDIA) processor and Wintek (not EIH) touch panel among its components. According to DigiTimes, Amazon hopes to move some four million units in 2011 alone with plans to launch the new tablet as soon as August. Possible? Sure, likely even. But we'll wait for Bezos to sing before updating our holiday shopping lists.

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Wed, 22 Jun 2011 01:48:00 -040021|19973189http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/06/asus-ux21-to-be-priced-at-less-than-1-000-says-chinese-newspap/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/06/asus-ux21-to-be-priced-at-less-than-1-000-says-chinese-newspap/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/06/asus-ux21-to-be-priced-at-less-than-1-000-says-chinese-newspap/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23comments
The ASUS UX21, that 11.6-inch cake slicer that doubles up as an ultrathin laptop, is coming in September with a price tag of less than $1,000. That's according to the Commercial Times, which cites supplier sources in identifying ASUS' aggressive pricing strategy. Word is that the Taiwanese company is aiming to price the UX21 at 80 to 90 percent of the cost of Apple's competing products, namely the MacBook Air family. Of course, with a second-gen Intel Core i5 (or i7) CPU inside it, ASUS' new laptop has a significant spec advantage over Apple's similarly aluminum-encased laptops, so we'd argue simply matching the MBA's price will ensure the UX21 flies off store shelves. ASUS has a fine recent history of breaking through price barriers, as shown by the $200 Eee PC X101 that was announced alongside the UX21 at Computex, so if anyone was going to give us a 17mm-thick slab of up-to-date gorgeousness for less than $1,000, it probably had to be Jonney Shih's crew.

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Mon, 06 Jun 2011 03:22:00 -040021|19958890http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/01/microsoft-reveals-arm-powered-windows-8-prototypes/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/01/microsoft-reveals-arm-powered-windows-8-prototypes/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/01/microsoft-reveals-arm-powered-windows-8-prototypes/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23comments
Remember how Microsoft unveiled that whole "Windows 8" thing earlier today? It's back for more: here at Computex 2011 in Taipei, prototype ARM-based Windows 8 slates and smartbooks are coming out of the woodwork. Foxconn, Wistron and Quanta all unveiled early hardware for the new OS, with chips from Qualcomm, Texas Instruments and NVIDIA powering their live tiles -- including NVIDIA's upcoming Kal-El, which got both a tablet and a super-slim prototype notebook to call its own. Dell's also got a XPS development station up on stage, which Microsoft used to demo the UI -- it's bulky and ugly as such things are, but it suggests that Dell's also likely to have a portable Windows 8 machine at some point. For its part, Qualcomm is promising a chip that can instantly wake from sleep, and one of the devices showed that USB host support works fine and dandy. Unfortunately, none of these machines will make their way to market, but it's nice to know that the OEMs care enough to show their solidarity here.

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Wed, 01 Jun 2011 22:44:00 -040021|19955986http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/31/intel-shows-off-oak-trail-based-android-honeycomb-tablets-confi/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/31/intel-shows-off-oak-trail-based-android-honeycomb-tablets-confi/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/31/intel-shows-off-oak-trail-based-android-honeycomb-tablets-confi/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23comments
At a time when ARM and Android are dominating the mobile computing world, Intel's only just starting to catch up with some green robot-friendly prototypes, like these Oak Trail-based 10-inch tablets at Computex 2011. Starting from the left we have the Intel Green Ridge, Foxconn F150, Quanta QXZI, an unnamed Compal device, Intel Marco Polo 2, and Intel Carrot. Sadly, Intel wouldn't give the names of the ODMs behind its own reference tablets, so your guess is just as good as ours.

With the exception of the Gingerbread-powered Foxconn slate, these were all running on Honeycomb 3.0.1 OS -- well, we say running, but just barely. As you'll see in our hands-on video after the break, most of the devices were struggling to keep up with the launcher animation, and needless to say, Intel wasn't keen on letting us test video playback on them. We also noticed that Android Market was missing on the prototypes, but Intel assured us that it'll be available on the final products, and that current Android apps are already supported by Oak Trail. In terms of build quality it left much to be desired, though this is forgivable at a trade show; it's the software that we're concerned with. From what we've seen here at Computex, Android on Oak Trail is far from ready, so it'll be interesting to see if Acer can actually pull off a July launch for its rumored Oak Trail Honeycomb tablet.

Update: OK, our in-depth hands-on video is finally working. Check it out after the break.
Gallery-124843

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Tue, 31 May 2011 03:42:00 -040021|19953830http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/apples-macbook-air-duo-to-receive-sandy-bridge-and-thunderbolt/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/apples-macbook-air-duo-to-receive-sandy-bridge-and-thunderbolt/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/18/apples-macbook-air-duo-to-receive-sandy-bridge-and-thunderbolt/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23comments
We've already seen Intel's Sandy Bridge processors and Thunderbolt reinvigorating the MacBook Pro line, so it's only logical for the MacBook Airs to eventually follow suit -- presumably they'll pick up Sandy Bridge's 17W mobile processors to match the current 10W and 17W Core 2 Duos. So when can we expect this to happen? Well, according to DigiTimes' sources within the supply chain, Apple may receive shipment of the refreshed Airs in late May ahead of a June or July launch -- this echoes earlier reports from Apple Insider and CNET that cited the same time frame. Additionally, DigiTimes says Quanta will continue to assemble Apple's ultra-portable laptops, with Simplo Technology and Dynapack supplying the battery packs. As always, we shall remain open-minded about such rumors, but you'll know the real deal as soon as we do within the next couple of months or so.

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Wed, 18 May 2011 02:30:00 -040021|19943346http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/03/amazon-tablet-rumored-to-ship-later-this-year/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/03/amazon-tablet-rumored-to-ship-later-this-year/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/03/amazon-tablet-rumored-to-ship-later-this-year/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23comments
We've got a pretty good inkling that it's coming -- the big question is when will Amazon finally ship an LCD tablet. According to DigiTimes, and its occasionally trusty sources at upstream component makers, when is defined by the second half of 2011. What's more, the media tablet will feature a Fringe Field Switching LCD display and touch panel from Amazon fave E Ink Holdings, a company better known for the technology behind the Kindle's EPD e-paper displays. According to DigiTimes, Quanta has received the manufacturing honors with production expected to peak at about 700,000 - 800,000 units per month. So yeah, the Amazon Kindle tablet won't be sporting a Mirasol display according to this gossip. Then again, it's only gossip so anything goes.

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Tue, 03 May 2011 01:33:00 -040021|19930060http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/09/quantas-7-inch-android-tablet-dummy-spotted-at-ces/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/09/quantas-7-inch-android-tablet-dummy-spotted-at-ces/http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/09/quantas-7-inch-android-tablet-dummy-spotted-at-ces/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23comments
In case you're not already sick of tablets, here's another one that we spotted at a small Taiwanese booth at CES. Sure, this Anadem Q07 -- a rebadged Quanta device -- was just a dummy, but even this could easily beat the lot of cheap Android slates in a beauty contest. Encased within the chrome bezel and silver body will be a 7-inch 800 x 480 display (which is slightly underwhelming), along with a Samsung S5PV210 processor -- essentially the Hummingbird chip but in a different package -- underclocked to 800MHz, but still capable of handling 1080p video playback. There's not much else on the spec sheet, but we did see a micro-USB port, HDMI mini connector, microSD slot, SIM card slot, and stereo speakers on the Q07. Naturally, you'll hear from us when we stumble upon this Froyo tablet again.
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Sun, 09 Jan 2011 17:32:00 -050021|19793276http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/24/macbook-air-suffers-another-bout-of-11-6-inch-display-rumors/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/24/macbook-air-suffers-another-bout-of-11-6-inch-display-rumors/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/24/macbook-air-suffers-another-bout-of-11-6-inch-display-rumors/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23comments
You know a device is due for a refresh when the only thing left to write about it is rumormongering of a possible upgrade. Today it's the turn of AppleInsider, citing sources in Taiwan, to declare that an 11.6-inch LED-backlit display will be headlining a long overdue update to Apple's MacBook Air. We've heard this scuttlebutt before, and the idea that the Air would be shrunken in order to better differentiate it from the MacBook Pro line carries a lot of believability, but we're still a little jaded from previous misleading rumors on the same subject. At least this one comes with all the gravitas of DigiTimes, whose scribes suggest Quanta has an order to build up to half a million 11.6-inch "MacBooks" for Apple in 2010. All that said, we still wouldn't be surprised if Apple let another holiday period go by without updating its unhealthily thin 13.3-inch laptop.

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Fri, 24 Sep 2010 10:40:00 -040021|19647279http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/09/rim-blackpad-tablet-priced-at-499-when-it-ships-in-november/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/09/rim-blackpad-tablet-priced-at-499-when-it-ships-in-november/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/09/rim-blackpad-tablet-priced-at-499-when-it-ships-in-november/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23comments
Come on, admit it, you want to believe that RIM is working on a tablet called the BlackPad don't you? You'd better, because Apple Daily is piling on with more unsubstantiated rumor this morning. So, in addition to the 9.7-inch display, Bluetooth, WiFi, and front- and rear-facing cameras already mentioned by Bloomberg's sources, Apple Daily claims that Quanta won the bid to manufacture the tablet with plans to ramp up for 2 million units starting in September (for a November retail launch) with another 8 million planned for 2011. The price? $499 is the target, naturally.

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Mon, 09 Aug 2010 06:14:00 -040021|19585831http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/08/quanta-sets-new-record-for-laptop-shipments-in-june/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/08/quanta-sets-new-record-for-laptop-shipments-in-june/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/08/quanta-sets-new-record-for-laptop-shipments-in-june/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23comments
You may not realize it, but there's a good chance that the laptop you're using right now was made by Quanta -- the company is the largest laptop manufacturer in the world, and it looks like it's only getting bigger. According to PC World, the company (which counts HP, Dell and Sony among its clients) set a new record for laptop shipments in June, moving upwards of 4.8 million laptops for about $3.1 billion in revenue. It does expect shipments to "slow down a little bit" in July, however, but says things should rebound again in August. What's the cause for the uptick? Quanta says it's at least partly due to the easing of some component shortages, including those Arrandale processors that have been in short supply -- as PC World notes, Intel has said that it's been ramping up production in order to catch up with demand before the end of the second quarter.

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Thu, 08 Jul 2010 12:26:00 -040021|19546620http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/02/quanta-and-3ms-dst-touchscreens-like-styli-and-fingers-too/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/02/quanta-and-3ms-dst-touchscreens-like-styli-and-fingers-too/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/02/quanta-and-3ms-dst-touchscreens-like-styli-and-fingers-too/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23commentsSpend a few days with a capacitive touch device and moving back to resistive can feel a bit... clumsy. Quanta and 3M are saying they have created a new type of touch sensitive screen that could make capacitive feel relatively just as vague, what they're calling dispersive signal technology. DST is a layer of "specially-designed glass" that detects the pressure of a finger or a stylus (or, probably, other things too) with high precision, all without making the display thicker. We're not sure how another layer could not make things at least a little bit beefier, but it at least won't be an expensive addition, with DigiTimes saying "consumers should have no difficulty accepting the price." There are, however, no comments on how well consumers will handle the other stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, and depression. Remember, we're here for you.

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Wed, 02 Jun 2010 09:56:00 -040021|19500043http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/01/meego-moorestown-powered-tablet-hands-on/%3Futm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%26ncid%3Drss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/01/meego-moorestown-powered-tablet-hands-on/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/01/meego-moorestown-powered-tablet-hands-on/%3Futm_source%3DFeed_Classic%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DEngadget%23comments
We saw a lot of new technology demoed at Intel's Computex keynote this afternoon, but the most impressive thing may have just been MeeGo running on a 10-inch Moorestown Quanta Redvale tablet. While the demo on stage was very brief, we caught up with some of the product managers right after the presser and convinced them to give us a peek at what is coming in 2011. To say we're impressed with the "pre-alpha" version of the software is a huge understatement. So, what are you still doing up here? Hit the gallery for a ton of hands-on shots and then that read more button for some impressions and video. Gallery-94041 Gallery-94039